


To Court a Monster: Suits Edition

by Rhiw



Series: Roux-verse [3]
Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, And still a mega-douchenozzle, Blood and Gore, But it's not technically cannibalism, Death, Eating Of Humans, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Non-Human Edith Ross, Non-Human Harvey Specter, Non-Human Mike Ross, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Old Fashioned Monster Courting, Other Pseudo Creole Mythology/Culture, Possessive Harvey Specter, Protective Harvey Specter, Roux - Freeform, Roux-Ga-Roux, Trevor is kind of a sociopath, seriously, they eat people in this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-13
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-07 10:37:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3171678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhiw/pseuds/Rhiw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harvey Specter had given little thought to taking a mate. The Dominant was thirty-nine, at the height of his prime, and enjoying himself immensely humiliating one Human after another using their own legal system. Being an apex predator in New York provided endless amounts of entertainment. It also helped that he was stupidly rich. </p><p>So no, he'd never really given any thought into trying to find a Submissive. The Roux-ga-Roux were fairly rare now a days - rare enough that if the Human's knew about them they'd be considered endangered - and Harvey really didn't have the time to go scouring about in search of a mate.  </p><p>And then Rick Sorkin - Mike Ross - a Submissive with a nervous smile and the bluest eyes Harvey has ever seen, chooses to hide in his interview room.</p><p>And Harvey suddenly wants nothing else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: The Bloom of Adulthood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t think I can hold on for much longer.” Edie admitted softly and Mike couldn’t help the choked whimper that escaped him. “I can’t leave you like this. I can’t meet my Nicky and tell him I left his cub like this.”
> 
> “I know.” The younger Submissive whispered, eyes squeezing shut against the sting of tears, his grip tightening.
> 
> He needed to find a mate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now beta-ed by Felicia.
> 
> This story is part of the Roux-ga-Roux world, which is basically a tweaked Alpha/Beta/Omega world. If you want to read more than what I've got going on right now, you can check out the other story I have for this universe, which is a Hannibal story. I decided to write this after I had a brief Suits cameo in the other story and people seemed interested in a Roux!Suits offshoot. So here it is! Mike's grandma has been genderswapped, so she is now a he.

Mike Ross matured into his adult form one night in April, curled in a tiny ball in his crusty tub, covered head-to-toe in slowly melting ice both sicker and – somehow – hornier than he’d ever been in his life.

It nearly kills him.

His Pop, Edward _(call me Edie)_ Ross, had done everything he could to help him through it. Edie kept the ice stocked, brushed his sweaty hair from his forehead and cooled it with a cold compress. But at one hundred and twenty-five, there was't much his grandfather could do. The fact that Edie was even still alive was kind of a miracle in itself. Roux-ga-Roux rarely lived past one hundred and thirty and Mike knew the only reason Edie was still around was to look after Mike.

There was little else _but_ Mike to keep the stubborn man among the living. His Dominant mate James had died before Mike had even been born in a hunt gone bad, and all three of his children had died before him. Mike's uncles Ethan and Adam had died together at the hands of Hunters (the only actual threat to the Roux race, dedicated men and women who hunted them for reasons that varied from a righteous need to protect their species to the thrill of hunting Human-kind's only real predators) and Mike’s sire, Nicholas, had died in a car accident with his carrier, Nathan.

It was rare – almost unheard of really – for a Roux to live so long. Well, that’s what Mike had been told anyway. He’d never met another one of their kind. Oh, once or twice he’d thought he’d scented one in the crowds but this was New York, there was no real way to spot them. In fact, the only real way to tell Roux apart from Humans was through scent.

That was actually how Roux-ga-Roux had survived unnoticed; they looked like a Human in every possible way. That being said, all it would take was one look at their insides by anyone who knew what they were looking at to recognize them. Even a doctor that had barely passed his med school would be capable of noticing how wrong their insides were.

For while the Roux may look exactly like a Human, they had evolved into a radically different species. Mike had long thought that perhaps they were more related to reptiles than monkeys, because it was nearly impossible to tell their genders apart. Only another Roux could do such a thing (as both Dominants and Submissives had very different scent patterns) as on the outside both sexes looked biologically male.

While both Dominant and Submissives had fully developed GI track, as well as urinary tracks, neither gender actually used them; a Roux-ga-Roux absorbed every inch of fuel provided to them and as such never had any biological waste.

And while a Dominant’s rectal cavity was completely vestigial, for a Submissive it was a vital part of the reproductive process, serving the same functions as a human vagina, capping out into a cervix and uterus instead of the lower intestines.

It wasn’t until a Roux reached its thirtieth year and experienced the Change that they were considered fully sexually mature. For Dominants that meant creating live sperm for the first time, as well as developing the knotting muscles. For a Submissive, it meant that last stages of uterus and ovaries development. The caloric energy required to fuel the Change was immense; a massive check his body wrote that Mike nearly didn’t survive.

When he slipped into incoherence, Mike weighed one hundred and sixty-five pounds; still thin for his height of six foot but within the healthy range. When he woke up a day later – fully mature as a Submissive Roux and feeling like someone hit him with a truck – he was just shy of weighing one hundred and thirty pounds.

His body had cannibalized itself to stay alive.

The Change was very much like a snake shedding its old skin. Mike had lost all of the blemishes he’d acquired over the years, every scar and callous were gone. Even his tan had faded. Like the loss of baby teeth, Mike’s delicate pre-Change skin had been replaced with something far more durable and completely and utterly unflawed.

His hair (which had been rough from years of poor care and diet) was now silky smooth to the touch with a fair amount of body to it, even with its short cut. The lines of his jaw and nose had smoothed out, become far less angled and more gentle, his lips slightly fuller and dusted pale pink. Even the brown that had once ringed his pupil was faded away, replaced with a blue so bright his eyes seemed almost unreal, even to Mike.

Even with how thin he was – even with the slightly swallow tint to his skin – Mike looked better than he ever had in his life. It was another evolutionary quirk; Human’s tended to trust attractive men above all else.

Mike sighed as he turned from the mirror and stepped into his living room, a hand braced against the wall for support as a wave of dizziness overwhelmed him. He’d need to hunt and soon. His body had been pushed far too close to the edge – and by the unhappy look on Edie’s face, his Pops knew it as well.

The Submissive had honestly done everything he could to bulk up when he’d felt his body gearing up for the Change. Keeping both himself and Edie feed was a challenge for several reasons, the least of them being that New York was a highly populated city full of people who never slept. The biggest thing that kept Mike from hunting as much as he wanted was that he just didn’t have the time.

Mike worked three jobs to keep he and his grandfather in their apartment. In the mornings he was a bike messenger and in the evenings and weekends he waited tables. He also had a small business on the side taking standardize tests like the LSAT and MCAT for desperate college students. That had recently gone to hell though as Mike’s luck had finally run out and he’d been recognized at both of the test sites.

But Mike still managed. He and Edie didn’t need much to survive. He never really was a big eater and truth be told, his Pop’s appetite had fallen way off the last year – which terrified Mike.

He also had Trevor.

Despite being Human, Trevor was Mike’s oldest friend. They’d gone to school together all their lives and when his parents had died in the car crash, the two had only grown closer. They’d discovered pretty much everything together (except for sex, Mike had never really seen the point in it himself. Neither masturbation nor sex with a Human held any appeal to him) and it had only seemed natural when one night nearly eleven years ago Mike’s secret had just sort tumbled out over a blunt and twelve pack of Coors light.

Looking back on it, it had been beyond stupid. Not only could it have gotten both Mike and Edie killed (and their species exposed) but it could have gotten Trevor killed as well. His grandfather had been _furious_ when Mike had confessed what he’d done. Of course, that had been roughly five years after he’d done so and Trevor had never said anything to anyone, so Edie had been willing to let it go.

It was more likely that Edward Ross had just been unwilling to take another thing from his grandson, which Mike fully acknowledged. There was little that his Pops wouldn’t do for him and in return, the younger Submissive was determined to do the same. So when Edie had started to fall ill and hardly been able to move around their apartment without pausing every few feet out of breath, Mike had thrown himself into providing for both of them. But he'd struggled to hunt while adjusting to the hectic schedule that came with three jobs and one day, completely out of the blue, Trevor had shown up with a fresh corpse.

Even to this day, Mike didn’t know how to feel about the fact that his very Human best friend would show up occasionally with bodies for them. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t Human that the Roux struggled with his feelings on the matter. Oh he felt some things; confusion as to how and why, concern that his friend was going to get caught, guilt for blooding Trevor’s hands.

But in the end he mainly felt a deep, deep gratitude.

Trevor killed to help Mike and Edie, which went above and beyond any kind of acceptance he’d hoped to find when he’d first told Trevor about this all those nights ago. Even if it meant that Trevor was apparently a serial killer.

“Eat this.” Edie said firmly, pushing a well stuffed sandwich across the coffee table, “you need your strength.”

Mike nodded as he cautiously made his way over to join him, the wood floor swaying beneath his feet. He took a huge bite, eyes fluttering slightly as the taste of the flesh on his tongue. He hardly chewed it, too intent on getting his next bite, but the letter in Edie’s hand caught his attention.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with now,” Edie said sharply, folding the letter up.

“Pops,” Mike warned, setting the food down, “what’s in the letter?” There was a long silence. “Don’t try and Mexican standoff me, old man, I’m not taking another bite until you tell me who that’s from.”

The glare intensified but Mike met it with his an unimpressed one of his own and waited it out. After a moment there was a sigh, the letter thrown haphazardly onto the coffee table. “It’s from George-” who was their massive dick of a landlord, “- he’s demanding the back rent by next Monday. All of it.”

Mike let out a weary sigh, bringing a slightly shaking hand up to rub at his eyes. They owed three months’ rent counting the upcoming payment and Mike just didn’t have it. Edie’s glare grew even darker and the younger Submissive gave in, unwilling taking another bite of the sandwich, chewing slowly as he thought.

“Trevor’s got a job I could do for him.” Mike said slowly after a moment, bracing himself for his grandfather’s reaction. He wasn’t disappointed; the older Submissive’s face immediately grew thunderous.

“I don’t like you working for him.”

“I know you don’t, Pop,” Mike said tiredly around another mouthful of food. He swallowed it, the large lump making his throat ache slightly, “but Trevor’s a good friend, he-”

“A good friend? Michael, a good friend doesn’t blackmail.”

Mike groaned in frustration. “Trevor doesn’t blackmail-”

“Oh no?”

“Trevor’s never once threatened to go public with what we are.” The younger Roux said calmly as he stood with the now empty plate. “You know that.”

“He puts you in danger.”

“He asks me to do jobs that are too dangerous for him,” Mike corrected as he set the plate to soak in the sink, “there’s a big difference.”

He turned around, leaning against the counter as he eyed the furious looking Roux. The truth was that Trevor had asked Mike to do drop off or runs that could prove too dangerous for a Human in the past a handful of times. Roux were far less fragile, even as children, and Mike was happy to help. Trevor had done a lot for them, besides providing the odd body here and there ,he always paid Mike a decent share.  

Mike couldn’t deny that he was uncomfortable with the types of jobs though; he’d never had any real interest in being a criminal. Sure, he killed and ate Humans but that more the Circle-of-Life than the Godfather. Totally different. He’d told Trevor as much and his friend had assured him that he only sent Mike when he absolutely had too.

So far, they’d only become dangerous once. A drug drop off had gone bad when the guys had decided to just take the pot and run. They’d pulled a gun, but Mike had managed to get out of there unharmed, and Trevor swore to never put him in danger like that again. The Roux hadn’t really done any other jobs for Trevor since that close call, sticking with the test taking gig to try and get the money they needed. That hadn’t meant that the Human had stopped asking. Almost once a week Mike got a call from Trevor trying to convince him to come back and work for him again.

Mike had steered clear, to hyper aware of what a coroner might find when examining his body and what that would mean for his grandfather.

“I don’t like it.” Edie grumbled angrily as he cut and recut his deck of cards. “Playing attack dog for some greasy Human.”

“Pop,” Mike said with another heavy sigh as he opened a can of Coke. “Please don’t make this any harder.”

“You shouldn’t have to do this – you’re above it. Tell me you know that.”

“I know it.” The younger Submissive agreed softly as he made his way over to the ailing Roux. He draped himself over the back of the couch, pressing his cheek to his grandfather smooth one. Despite his age, Edie looked hardly a day over sixty, another perk of their species. A hand reached up, pressing gently against his cheek. Mike hid his face in soft, downy brunet locks, inhaling his grandfather’s scent greedily. Despite his youthful appearance, a stale and bitter scent hung about him and Mike shivered, pressing closer.

“I don’t think I can hold on for much longer.” Edie admitted softly and Mike couldn’t help the choked whimper that escaped him. “I can’t leave you like this. I can’t meet my Nicky and tell him I left his cub like this.”

“I know.” The younger Submissive whispered, eyes squeezing shut against the sting of tears, his grip tightening.

He needed to find a mate.

* * *

But first they needed to pay the rent.

Mike waited until Edie had fallen asleep to the sounds of _The Price is Right_ before padding quietly into the bedroom both Submissives shared. He was still eating – yet another sandwich – as the phone rang, steadying himself against the bedframe as his stomach flipped with a nauseous hunger despite the fact that he was feeding himself.

Trevor answered on the third ring. “Mikey, how’d it go?”

“It went.” Mike answered dryly, bringing a hand up to stare at the new, untarnished skin. “Is that job still opened?”  

“I knew you’d come around.” The Roux rolled his eyes at how smug Trevor sounded. “You just can’t resist-”

“Trevor.”

“Yeah, yeah. Look, I have a client coming in from out of town and I can’t meet him. I need someone that I can trust to do it. It’s going to be totally safe.”

“Like last time was safe?”

There was a groan. “It’s taking place at the Chilton Hotel on Park Avenue, for fuck’s sake. Of course it’s safe. What are they gonna do? Pop you in one of the busiest hotels in New York?”

“Trevor-”

“It’s safe, man. I told you I wouldn’t put you in that again and I meant it.” Trevor said, sounding distracted. “Look, the briefcase in my room. Pick it up tomorrow and take it to room 2412-”

“Tomorrow?” Mike interrupted, alarmed. “I can’t do it tomorrow, Trevor! Jesus, you know what happened last night. I can barely walk right now.”

“It has to be tomorrow. It’s tomorrow or not at all.” Trevor snapped. “Are you in or not?”

“I dunno, Trev…”

“I don’t have time for this right now, Mike. Ether you’re doing this or you’re not.” There was the sound of grumbles and low level whispers on the other side of the line, but the Roux couldn’t pick up the actual words. “Look, you’ll feel better after a night’s sleep, okay? Go to sleep early, eat the food _I_ _brought_ you, and then do this. I need you to do this for me.”

Mike glanced at the sandwich in his hand guilty. “Fine.”

“Good. Okay, so this is a luxury hotel. You can’t be looking like you’re a delivery guy. So shave, comb your hair, and buy a suit.”

Mike sighed, clenching his trembling fist. “That’s a lot to ask right now.”

“I’m not asking, man. I’m paying you for this. Say – about twenty five grand? So just do it, okay?”

The Submissive glanced guilty towards where his grandfather slept. “Yeah. Yeah, okay. I’ll be there.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope to have the next chapter (with the meeting with Harvey) up soon!
> 
> I know some of this was a re-hash for those you already familiar with how Roux work, but for my new readers please feel free to comment any questions about the species and I'll answer as soon as I can. More will be explained as the story progresses. I also hope to have the next chapter for To Court a Monster: Hannibal Edition up soon as well.
> 
> Thanks for reading folks!


	2. Of Age: An Odd Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At her desk, Donna looked slightly stunned before turning and giving him a slow wink. Harvey felt his curiosity (and his hopes, if he was completely honest) flare as he quickly trekked back to his desk, busying himself with nothing as Donna lead the interviewee in. Harvey turned, adjusting his suit jacket – and froze.
> 
> Across from him the Submissive Roux mirrored his action, pretty blue eyes blown wide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait!
> 
> I had to find my voices for these guys.
> 
> No beta-ed by Felicia.

Harvey was bored.

In front of him Chip – in all his WASP-ish glory – was rambling away about his so-called ‘merits.’ Harvey nodded every few minutes, just to show that he was listening, resting his face against his thumb and forefinger. A child could see his disinterest and Chip’s ramblings were getting more and more desperate. Did Jessica seriously expect him to choose from these douchebags? The Dominant Roux fought a yawn, hiding the motion behind a swallow at the last moment as Chip began speaking about his passion for the law, lit in him at a young age by both his father and grandfather’s activities as judges. The day was starting to look like a bust – Chip was number fifteen of a long list of uninspiring candidates and it grated on Harvey’s nerves to know that he’d have to choose one of them.

_It’s like picking the prettiest turd to polish._

Against the table, Harvey’s phone vibrated. The Roux reached over, a small smile quirking his lips as he unlocked it. He had a text message from his younger brother Marcus, who was on vacation at the Lighthouse Bay Resort in Barbuda with his mate Lucas and Harvey’s nephews, Joshua and Isiah.

He grinned at the attached picture, face warming considerably. There was little doubt that the two cubs had quickly become the center of the Specter household. At five and three respectively, both boys had their adult counterparts wrapped around their fingers. Across the table, Chip cleared his throat awkwardly, clearly unnerved by Harvey’s complete and utter dismissal of whatever the hell it was the Human had been saying. The Roux held up his finger as he immediately began to text back an answer.

“Sorry about that,” Harvey said as he set the phone down once more, “my brother wanted to tell me about my nephews’ newest adventures. You understand.”

“I have a nephew.” Chip volunteered quickly, fumbling for his phone – undoubtedly to show a photo of said nephew. The hand patting down his suit slowed to a stop at Harvey’s dry look.

He gave the Human a shark-ish smile. “Well… _Chip._ I think we’re all done here.” He stood, accepting an overeager handshake. “We’ll let you know.”

Harvey’s next appointment was apparently running late – which in this business indicated certain death – and the Roux allowed himself to pull up the chat again, saving the picture of the boys and making it his background.

Harvey had given a little thought to taking a mate himself. The first real time he'd mused over the idea was when Marcus had mated, than it fluttered about half-formed each time he saw Lucas’ stomach rounded with a cub. But at thirty-nine, the Dominant was at the height of his prime and enjoying himself immensely humiliating one Human after another using their own legal system. Being an apex predator in New York provided endless amounts of entertainment, offering never ending opportunities for him to enjoy himself and kept him on his toes. It also helped that he was stupidly rich, which meant his days of play were seemingly endless. Harvey saw no reason to pursue a mate, not when it would change his lifestyle so radically.

So no, he'd never really given any thought into trying to find a Submissive. The Roux-ga-Roux were fairly rare now a days – rare enough that if the Humans knew about them they'd be considered endangered – and even if did want one, Harvey really didn't have the time to go scouring about in search of a mate.

Outside the open door Donna was busy giving a dressing down to Harvey’s tardy interviewee and so he sent one more snotty text off to Marcus before tucking his phone into his pocket. He really was thinking about throwing a barbeque soon, he had some fresh cuts from a real dick of a cop who’d given Harvey's personal driver Ray shit for being not white – because, how dare he? – and truth be told he hadn’t seen his family in a few months.

At her desk, Donna looked slightly stunned before turning and giving him a slow wink. Harvey felt his curiosity (and his hopes, if he was completely honest) flare as he quickly trekked back to his desk, busying himself with nothing as Donna led the interviewee in. Harvey turned, adjusting his suit jacket – and froze.

Across from him the Submissive Roux mirrored his action, pretty blue eyes blown wide.

* * *

Mike felt like he’d been sucker punched; his lungs felt a size too small, his heart pounded loudly in his ears.

The Dominant standing in front of him was tall and handsome, with slicked back brunet hair and sharp, intelligent eyes. He stood tall and proud, his shoulders thrown back, legs wide in a stance that screamed authority. His scent inundated the room. Potent and expressive, it was strong and rich enough to stand out amongst the heavily potpourri-ed air of the office,  giving the impression of youth and vitality. It made something inside Mike relax even as his stood taller, muscles pulling tight until they quivered under the Dominant's stare.

“Thank you, Donna.” The other Roux's voice was low and smooth, silken almost, and Mike lips twitched at the sound of it. His stomach was twisted into a tight knot and the Submissive didn’t even realize he was holding his breath until his chest ached. He took a small breath and the tiny motion was loud in the small space, making the Dominant's brows furrow.

The secretary – who Mike hadn’t even realized was still in the room – nodded slowly, her eyes darting between the two staring Roux before stepping out of the room. The sound of the door shutting brought an odd sense of finality with it.

For a long moment neither moved. The two Roux simply watched each other, as if the moment was suspended in time, and Mike had no idea that meeting a Dominant would feel so intense. Perhaps it was the left over adrenalin from escaping the cops _(and god damn’t Trevor, you promised!)_ making him tremble so badly. Or maybe it was his weakened state, his body still trying to recover from his violent Change, but Mike felt as unbalanced and shaky as an newborn colt.

“Rick Sorkin?”

“No,” Mike corrected with an awkward laugh, giving the Dominant a nervous smile, “not really. I’m Mike – Michael – Ross.”

The other Roux’s head tilted slightly, curiousness clear on his face, before pulling one of the chairs. “Harvey Specter. Please take a seat, Mr. Ross.”

Mike nodded, licking his dry lips, and took a shaky step forward. His wobbly knees buckled, but before the Submissive even had a chance to sink the Dominant - _Harvey -_ had crossed the space between them, firm hands steadying him by his elbows. The suitcase had popped open, spilling the pot everywhere, but Harvey only spared the packets a glance before guiding Mike to one of the chairs.

The second he’d sat down, the guiding hands were gone. Touching between Roux sexes – between unmated, unrelated Dominant and Submissives – was heavily regulated and as soon as Harvey had removed the chances of bodily harm, Mike was released so quickly it was as if his clothing had burnt Harvey.

Harvey's frown was heavy with disapproval as he stared down at Mike. “Jesus, kid. When did you eat last?”

Mike flushed, cheeks burning bright with embarrassment. As always embarrassment put Mike on the defensive and the words were out of his mouth before he could think better of them. “This morning, though I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

The Submissive winced, ducking his head as he cursed himself. Roux society was one of almost extreme politeness. There were rules and etiquette for every scenario of interaction, rules that were necessary to keep the aggressively proud race from killing each other off over the slightest perceived insult.

To Mike’s surprise, Harvey didn’t seem to take too much offense, a single eyebrow rising in a distinctively unimpressed, yet amused expression. “Whatever you say – though I’m gonna go ahead and point out that you make it my business when you faint –”

“I didn’t faint! There was no fainting of any kind!”

“– fine. Almost faint in front of me. Here,” the Dominant stepped around the desk, opening a small mini-fridge that was wood paneled to camouflage it with the bookcase it was in and pulled out a thermos. He opened it, pouring a generous amount of a black viscous liquid into the lid cup before holding it out to him.

Mike gave the cup a suspicious sniff, eyes lighting up at the expensive coffee scent. He took a sip of the cool drink, shivering slightly at the delicious taste. It was a rich iced coffee, deep and woody, with the not-so-subtle (at least to a Roux) undernotes of Human blood. The Submissive Roux finished it in one large sip, marveling at how much better he felt with it in his stomach. It was as if he could feel his body already breaking the caffeine and blood into energy, replenishing his sorely tested reserves. He barely had taken the small cup from his mouth before it was being refilled.

“Here.” The thermos was set down on the table, the cup returned, and Harvey reached into the mini-fridge once more. This time he returned with a sandwich wrapped in brown paper. It was on rye (Mike’s favorite) and heavy in his hand with the weight of the carefully folded meat and cheese. “Eat that.”

Mike gazed at the sandwich longingly before shaking his head, offering it back to the other Roux. “I couldn’t – I mean, I can’t just eat all of your food.”

“Eat it,” Harvey insisted firmly, pushing the food back to him, “I’ve got more at the office and you look like you need it more than I do.”

“Well, thank you. And…um…sorry about the pot.” Mike winced, taking a wide bite of the sandwich – if for no other reason than to silence his embarrassing rambles.

“Yeah. About that.”

The Submissive winced, swallowing the ball of food harshly. “Look, I can explain –”

“Awesome. Can’t wait to hear it.” Harvey put his hands in his pockets, letting his thumbs hang out as he stared down at Mike, “you can start with the pot, or why you’re pretending to be Rick Sorkin. Either one, really.”

Mike gaped at him – he was _nothing_ like the Dominants in the stories his Pop told him. Edie had always made Dominants sound like gallant knights or gentlemen callers strolling right out of the eighteen hundreds. To hear his Pop tell it - they were pratically out of a romance novella from Victorian England. It was all flowers and gentle words, long walks and tender conversations, culminating in a shared heat and a long and fruitful matehood.

Harvey didn't appear to be any of that, nor have any idea that he was supposed to resemble such a thing. He must have been told different stories.

“Maybe I should just leave.” The younger Roux said sharply, pushing the sandwich and cup carelessly across the desk top as he stood. “I shouldn’t be alone with you anyway.”

Harvey jerked as if slapped, hands freeing themselves in an awkward move. “Hey, wait a minute–”

“Yeah, no.” Mike broke in, giving the Dominant his best glare. “I’ve had a seriously shitty day and the last thing I need is to sit here and explain myself like a _cub_ to some rude–”

“Rude!”

“ _–_ Dominant.” He gave Harvey a caustic salute as he stepped around the other Roux with a wide berth, legs re-energized from the food. “Good meeting you, Mr. Specter. Have a nice life.”

He bent down, sweeping the pot back into the suitcase in a smooth, fluid movement that Mike bet he couldn’t repeat a second time if his life depended on it, and hightailed it to the door. He only made it a few steps when voices outside stopped him.

“– don’t care who you are.” Harvey’s secretary’s tone was downright frosty, “Mr. Specter is in the middle of an important meeting, so I’m afraid you’ll not be going in there.”

Oh shit.

The police.

Mike’s heart was pounding a frantic tattoo against in his chest at the thought of arrest and jail time. Avoidance of any sort of service – governmental or otherwise – that could possibly reveal their race to their prey was the ultimate guiding rule of the Roux.

“Ma’am,” an annoyed voice asked and Mike recognized it as the undercover bellhop, “the suspect was sighted coming into this area. This is a police matter and-”

“Don’t care, you’re not interrupting. Besides, as I have already told you, _twice –_ the man you’re looking for isn’t inside. This is a meeting for a law firm, boys.”

Mike took a step back, head whipping side to side as he desperately looked for another exit, and clutched the suitcase defensively against his chest. There was a bloom of warmth as Harvey passed him, gesturing for Mike to step out of the line of sight. “Stay here, I’ll handle this.”

Bruised pride or no, the Submissive obeyed instantly, moving away from the door and against a nearby bookcase with a speed that would have been humorous in a different situation.  Harvey’s eyes swept over him once in a move that made Mike’s skin tingle-tight again before disappearing outside.

Mike listened as Harvey told the police officers off for interrupting his interview, impressed with the Dominant's witty responses despite himself. The entire exchange seemed to take less than a minute before Harvey stepped back into the room, radiating a sense of annoyed power, brown eyes sharp. He shut the door with a loud click, holding up a finger to silence Mike. They both stood, drawn tense, as they listened to the cops grumble outside. After a few minutes they finally left, the sound of their retreating footsteps and the crackle of their radios easy for the sensitive ears of a Roux to pick up.

When Mike finally couldn’t hear them anymore the Submissive slumped, leaving heavily into the bookcase and let the suitcase fall, hanging loosely by his thigh. Harvey watched the move, a heavy frown on his face before the Dominant Roux let out a sigh. “I think we got off on the wrong foot here, kid.”

“My name is Mike.”

Harvey gave him a thin smile. “You’re right, it is. I’ll make sure to use it.” The older Roux gestured back towards the desk. “Look, finish eating before you go at least.” Mike hesitated, torn, and the Dominant let out another heavy sigh. “Come on, give it a few minutes before you go out there.”

Thinking of the cops who were undoubtedly still somewhere in the hotel, the Submissive reluctantly sat back down. But he didn’t touch the food, even when Harvey moved them closer to him. “No thank you, I’m not hungry.”

“Jesus – look, I’m sorry, alright?” Harvey bit out, running a hand through his hair and destroying the perfectly sculptured coif. “Just…please. Eat. You’re completely white – you look like you could keel over with a strong breeze.”

Mike watched him for a moment longer – taking in the disheveled hair, the annoyed (worried?) slant of the Dominant’s features. The expression looked distinctively out of place on such a collected looking Roux and it was that, strangely, that had him reaching out for the sandwich, tearing off a small piece. “That was hard for you, wasn’t it?”

“What?”

“Apologizing. I’m going to take a wild guess that it isn’t really your ‘thing.’”

That earned him a rueful smile.

“You have no idea, ki-” Another glare stopped the word, Harvey smoothly rolling the ‘i’ into Mike’s name. “Seriously though, is there anyone I can call for you? You don’t look like you’re feeling well.”

The Submissive stared at the bread in his hand. “No…not really. It’s just me and my grandpa, but he’s almost a hundred and thirty; it’s really hard for him to get around. I’ll be find, it’s just I finished my Change last night and-”

Harvey let out the most peculiar sound – a strange half-choke, half-sputtering gasp – eyes wide and cheeks pinked. “You went through the Change last night? What the hell are you doing out and about?” The Dominant took an aborted step forward, eyes darting to the door as if he expected the police to burst through it at any moment, guns blazing. “And selling drugs? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? You could have been hurt!”

Strangely the outburst didn’t piss Mike off. Maybe it was because the worried outrage in it was so honest, so sincere that the young Submissive found himself giving a small but genuine smile instead.

“I know, not very smart. In all fairness, the cops weren’t supposed to be here. My parents died when I was really young and we weren’t the richest family to begin with.” And why the hell was he telling Harvey this? Even as he marveled at the insanity of it, Mike found he couldn’t stop the stream of words escaping him. He _wanted_ to explain, he wanted the other Roux to understand. “I do what I can to support us, but my jobs aren’t really enough. I don’t deal, but my best friend does and he offered me twenty-five grand to do a delivery so…you know, I though what the hell? Better than eviction.”

Harvey was staring at him as if he couldn’t believe Mike was real, face a mix of disbelief, disapproval, and frank concern all at once. The Dominant opened his mouth once than shut it, shaking his head. He leaned over, pouring more of the blood coffee into the cup before taking a swig of it himself.

Mike chuckled, oddly amused by the reaction, and drank the offered coffee. “As for the Rick Sorkin thing – I was trying to get away from the cops and your secretary just sort of called out to me.”

“What were you going to do when I realized you weren’t Rick Sorkin?”

Mike shrugged. “I figured I could pull it off.”

“Oh, really?” Harvey didn’t look convinced, leaning against the desk as he crossed his arms. “You didn’t think the cops were going to think it was weird when I kicked you out for not knowing the first thing about law?”

“I know about law.” He said with a shrug. “I passed the LSAT.”

“You passed the LSAT.” That same disbelieving tone, but Mike didn’t take offense. “What school did you go to?”

Mike shrugged, he was used to people’s disbelief when it regarded his abilities. To Humans (and if Edie was to he believed, even other Roux) Mike's ability seemed unreal. Roux were peculiar creatures in that while both genders tended to have above average intelligence compared to their Human counterparts, but that was where the similarities between the sexes ended. Dominant Roux tended to hunt through brute strength – that is, they used their instincts to create situations that allowed them to use their impressive power to overwhelm their pray. And a Dominant was easily stronger than a Human several times over.

Submissives, on the other hand, while still stronger than the average Humam hunted more through guile. As such, genius level intelligence and strong empathetic abilities (ones that at time could seem almost supernatural) were far more common in their sex. While Mike had a strong sense of empathy, his strength lay in his mind. He had tested at the high end of the photographic memory scale, capable of remembering and understanding everything he’d ever read or seen.

“I didn’t. I mean, I never graduated. I studied for the LSAT because some douchebag bet me I couldn’t.” Mike shrugged, sipping the coffee. “I got a one-eighty. Same with the MCAT; I got a forty-four. That's one off perfect.” He explained simply, without pride (okay, maybe with a little bit of pride) and tapped his forehead. “Photographic memory.”

Harvey stared at him and then let out a bark of a laugh, eyes bright with a smile that matched. “Of course you did.”

 _Oh,_ Mike swallowed roughly, _he’s…really attractive._

The sheer impropriety of the situation struck him again shortly after that particular thought and he set the cup down, standing abruptly. “Thanks again for your help, Harvey. I really need to get back to Pop though, he’s gonna be worried.”

Not to mention Mike needed to kick Trevor’s lying ass.

He gave the Dominant a nervous smile, picking the briefcase up. “Good luck with your interviews, I hope you find someone.”

“Wait!”

Mike paused, turning to look at the other Roux questioningly. It seemed like Harvey’s outburst took even himself off guard, the Dominant clearly searching for something else to say. “Yeah?”

“Come work with me.”

“Uh,” the Submissive shifted awkwardly, feeling a blush creep up over his neck at the thought of seeing the handsome Roux every day. “You do remember I’m not actually a lawyer, right?”

“Right.” Harvey licked his lips and Mike found himself blushing harder at the sight of the pink tongue, dropping his gaze immediately. “I remember.”

The Dominant’s stare was like a weight and Mike gripped the briefcase tighter, eyes locked on the rug pattern beneath his cheap shoes, feeling uncomfortable and intrigued all at once. “Harvey…I…we shouldn’t...be alone like this.”

“We wouldn’t be.” Harvey said quickly, stepping closer, eyes still intent on the other Roux’s form. “At the firm, I mean. There are people there 24/7, plenty of chaperons. And Donna – my secretary – rarely goes home before me.”

“I don’t understand.” Mike’s brows furrowed, troubled, as he finally pried his eyes from his feet to look at Harvey once more. The brunet Roux was intent, determined. “I…I’m still not qualified for anything.”

“You can be a paralegal.” Harvey answered without missing a beat, “normally you need a certificate or an associates for that, but if we get a copy of your LSAT – with your scores you could be hired on even as you were getting your quals.”

Just as quickly as Mike’s hopes rose they crashed and he glanced away again, embarrassed. “I don’t even have money for rent, I can’t afford school right now.”

“The firm would pay for it. You’d get a signing bonus too, more than enough to pay for your rent.” It seemed perfect. Too perfect. Things like this didn’t happened to Mike, there had to be some sort of catch, something that would make this not work.

“Harvey…” Mike shook his head, crossing his arms until he was almost cradling himself. It was unconscious sign of discomfort and Mike watched, fascinated, as the sight of it made Harvey tense, hands curling at his side, face fierce.

“Take the job, Mike. You’re smart, you can handle it.” The Dominant pressed, “all you’d have to do is promise me you’ll go ace school and work for us for a few years…and cut contact with your drug dealer friend. The firm can’t afford that kind of publicly.”

And there it was.

Cut contact with Trevor? His oldest friend?

But Trevor had nearly gotten him arrested, even knowing what that would mean not only for Mike but for Edie. Hell, what that would mean for Mike’s entire race. A shiver ran down his spine at the idea of what Humans would do if knowledge of the Roux were out there. There were already some who knew about them, but unlike Trevor their reactions were far more violent. They hunted Roux, willfully seeking to help them disappear into extinction.

The type of job Harvey was talking about would pay well and Mike would be good at it, he knew it. But…

“Come on, Mike. Let me do this for you.”

Mike glanced up that, the phrasing leaving him suddenly shy, and felt his heart leap somewhere into his throat with the realization that Harvey had crept closer at some point, moves completely silent. The handsome Dominant stood only a pace away from Mike, his scent strong and heady in the small space.

“I should ask Pop first.”

“Yeah.” Harvey agreed, tongue darting out to wet his lips again in what seemed to be a nervous habit. “Yeah, I could come.”

“You…want to meet my grandfather?” Mike asked, feeling inordinately pleased by the idea.

“Yes. I could help explain, introduce myself formally.” A slight shift of weight and Harvey’s hands were twitching by his side again, his eyes still locked on Mike’s face. “Let me stop by my place and pick up something to bring over – I could make a meal.”

“That’d be nice.” Mike admitted, thinking of his embarrassingly bare fridge. He wouldn’t have much to offer Harvey otherwise. “Can you cook?” He asked teasingly, feeling his heart triple at the wide smile that earned him.

“I’ll have you know I’m a damn good cook.”

“Okay.” Why did Mike feel so damn giddy? He pushed the feeling down, telling himself it was just the idea of a new job – a better life – that was making his pulse jump and not the idea of Harvey Specter in his home. After all, Mike’s apartment was literally a piece of shit. It wasn't something he really looked forward to showing off. “Say, I dunno actually? What time are you off work?”

“Seven.”

“Is that enough time?”

“I can make time.” Harvey said determinedly and Mike grinned again, bringing a hand up to rub at his neck embarrassedly. Was seven enough time? Yeah, Mike was pretty sure he could clean and put the apartment into some sort semblance of order by then.

“Seven’s good then. I’ll…just go.” Mike finished lamely.

“Here,” Harvey pulled a card and a pen from his breast pocket, jotting something quickly on the back of it, “this is my personal cell. Text me your address.”

“Right, yeah. That’s kind of important.”

Jesus. Why the hell did this whole thing feel so junior high-ish? Next Mike would be asking Harvey to the Spring Social.

The Dominant's grin was one sided, roguish. "See you at seven then.”

Mike gave Harvey a weak smile, taking a step backwards, eyes still locked on his face, before turning sharply on his heel and fleeing.

* * *

From where he sat basking in the Caribbean sunshine - as pleased and content as a sunning cat - Marcus Specter checked his phone and choked, inhaling a frightening amount of beer up into his nose. The resulting coughing fit disturbed both of his napping cubs and earned him a fierce glare from his mate.

"What the hell?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked it! Everyone IC enough, I hope? Like I said, I went through two versions of this chapter before I decided everybody's dynamic. Do you think I did Mike and Harvey justice? And I plan on making Marcus and his family more prominent than they are in the series, so I hope you guys like it! 
> 
> You're guys response to this story, btw, has blown my freakin' mind. Same with the Hannibal version. And I hear you guys - loud and clear - about the Criminal Mind spin off.
> 
> Love!


	3. Of Age: The Odd Introduction Continues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey sobered. “Mike…you know that can’t stand, don’t you? I can’t let it stand.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh sweet baby jesus - I'm sorry for the wait!
> 
> I had the worst writers block with this whole friggin' series, forgive me!
> 
> Now beat-ed by Felicia.

Harvey watched the Submissive until he could no longer see him, staring blankly at the empty doorway. He had no idea what his face looked like, but it must have been something because Donna was half-standing, half-sitting at her desk chair, staring at him with unhidden astonishment. Mike’s sweet scent still hung in the air, pure and untarnished by the city air, still fresh from his Change.

His Change.

Which had only been last night.

Harvey shut the door abruptly, leaning heavily on it with one palm as his cock surged with undeniable interest. It was close to robbing the cradle as a Roux could get and Harvey was an honest enough to admit it turned him on.

God, Mike had been so –

The Dominant Roux pressed a hand against his head, trying to sort through his rapid thoughts and calm the lust that was raging through his system. Mike Ross was the walking embodiment of Harvey’s type; pretty but not delicate, twinky but still masculine, with lips that looked like they were made for sucking cock. Or a knot. Harvey groaned at the thought of those gorgeous blues staring up at him, pink lips wrapped around the swell of his knot. Damn, he needed to pull himself together.

Harvey ran his hands over himself, straightening his tie and jacket, flicking off non-existent lint as he tried to compose himself. Donna had to be going crazy out there, the Roux wouldn’t be surprised if she was literally pressed against the door, trying to get the scoop on what could have happened. Hell, she’d known something was happening before she’d even left the room – a blind man could have seen what just took place. In his pocket his phone had been buzzing consistently and Harvey fished it out, half expecting to find a series of accusatory messages from Donna. Instead he found no less than nine texts from his brother and a SnapChat from Lucas. He let out a bark of a laugh as he pulled them up.

The ridiculousness of the messages was just what Harvey needed to pull himself back together. He strolled over to desk, thumbing a response as he poured himself a cup of cool coffee and brought it up to sip. He paused as the cold metal touched his lips, mind stuttering with the knowledge that Mike’s lips had been there earlier before rolling his eyes and calling himself a girl.

The Dominant snorted, leaning on the desk as he thought of Lucas hovering over Marcus’ shoulder, anxious and excited. Lucas was the living, breathing proof that Romantics had weathered the harsh realities of the modern centuries. There was nothing in the world the Submissive enjoyed more than a good romance – or even a shitty one, if Lucas' love of Spanish and Korean day soaps said anything about it. Still, he knew what they were fishing for.

While he argued their lack of faith was still disturbing, Harvey could admit they had a point. Most of his game was aimed at getting his Human partners into bed, sometimes for pleasure but more often for business, and his charm usually ended there. Harvey hadn’t ever really been in it for the ‘long-game’ before. Of course, he really did hardly know anything about Mike Ross. But instincts were never something an intelligent Roux ignored and Harvey’s were screaming at him to lock Mike down.

Whatever. So what if he had no real experience wooing anyone? A Roux was only supposed to do it once anyway and it wasn’t like Mike would have any idea what to expect either. He was Harvey fucking Specter, he could do this. He was going to woo the hell out Mike, make the Submissive want him so badly that he’d never even _blink_ at another Dominant.

Setting the thermos lid down, Harvey straightened his jacket and headed out to face Donna. He needed to make a decision quickly. He had a dinner to attend.

* * *

Mike took the subway half the way home and walked the rest, lost in thought. It would be a lie if he claimed that most of his thoughts were about anything other than the Dominant he’d just met, but at the moment he was trying to figure out what the hell he was going to do about Trevor.

His friend had been blowing up his phone since ten minutes past the appointed meeting time, but Mike had ignored them. Harvey’s insistence that he leave Trevor weighed heavily on his mind. The idea of abandoning his oldest friend wasn’t something the Submissive was anything remotely comfortable with but on the flip side, Mike was really pissed about the cops being at the meeting point.

Trevor was always so careful with his kills, always so meticulous and detail oriented when it came to his hide, but did he do the same for Mike? Apparently the fuck not. Didn’t he understand just how much Mike and his species had to lose? The Roux sighed, bringing a hand up to rub at his face wearily as he approached his apartment building. He wasn’t looking forward to telling Pop about what had gone down. Even if Harvey hadn’t attached his ultimatum to the job offer, there was little hope that his grandfather was ever going to let him within ten feet of Trevor again.

Because there was no way in hell he was going to be able to lie about what happened. Edie was almost supernaturally good at reading him, his Pops was going to take one look at his face and see it. Mike was hoping that he’d be too flustered by the idea of a Dominant coming to dinner to really chew him out for sneaking out when Edie had still been asleep.

As always the sound of the television greeted him at the doorway, the machine was almost always on, giving his grandfather something to occupy his days inside. What he wasn’t expecting was the high pitched barking or the sight of a white and tan Boxer puppy skidding around the corner to greet him. Mike stared at it, speechless as he dropped into a crouch on instinct. The puppy took a small step backwards, head cocking to the side as it took in the new arrival.

“Hey there,” Mike cooed, reaching a hand out for it to sniff. “Oh, you’re pretty, aren’t you?” The pup’s nubbed tail wagged so hard it shook its entire butt as it inched forward to sniff his hand. “That’s a sweet thing.”

He was pretty sure it was a girl; she had a pink a bandana on and he lifted her up easily, chuckling as she immediately went about trying to lick every inch of Mike that she could reach. Edie was in his chair, staring at the television screen, face thunderous. “Do you like her?”

“She’s beautiful, Pop, but you know the landlord said no dogs.” It was a sucky rule and one Mike had hated with a passion from the moment they’d signed the lease, but it was one of the things that made the apartment so damn cheap.

“One of the neighborhood boys found her and came to the door looking for someone to take her.” Edie said, voice still flat.

“Pop…her tail's been cropped.”

“Fine. You caught me, I bought her off of Craigslist. For you. Because I didn’t want you to be alone when I _die,”_ Edie snapped, reaching out with the remote to turn the volume up. Mike sighed, setting the now squirming puppy down.

“Okay, look. I know I was wrong to sneak out –”

“Wrong? Try stupid.” His grandfather snarled, slamming the remote down hard enough to pop out the batteries. “Do you have any idea how worried I was when I woke up to find you _gone?_ For the love of Christ, Michael, you just had your Change. Anything could have happened to you out there, you’re nowhere near your full strength. Did you give any thought to me at all, you selfish cub? I’ve been here for _hours,_ just imagining the ways that moronic Human could have gotten you killed.”

“Pop–”

“You’re lucky I didn’t have a heart attack! Do you have any idea how that feels?” Edie shouted, hands digging into the plushy arm rests. “Well? Do you?”

“No.” Mike said quietly.

“And did you get what you want?”

“No.” Mike said even quieter, staring at his shoes in shame. Edie could always make him feel half his age at any given time and the younger Submissive was bereft at the idea that he’d caused this much pain in his elderly grandfather. “It…didn’t go as planned.”

“Oh, well color me surprised. One of Trevor Evan’s schemes went awry.” Edie’s voice was practically acidic. “Never again, Michael, do you hear me? I swear to the heavens, I will come back to _haunt you_ if you risk your life for another one of idiotic ideas.”

“Yes,” Mike said quickly, closing the space between them to kneel before the older Roux. He laid his head in Edie’s lap, hands curling around his thin legs in an undisguised move of placation, “I swear, no more.” There was a snort of disbelief. “No, I promise, Pop. I…I met a Dominant today and he…he offered me a job as a paralegal and–”

A hand suddenly jerked his face up by his chin, blue eyes shrewd as they stared down at him. “Did he make you promise anything for this ‘job,’ Michael? Because I may be old but I will still break my foot off in his ass.”

Mike laughed, bringing both his hands up to gently pull Edie’s from his face and hold them. “No, it was nothing like that, I swear. We met at the hotel I was going to do the drop at – which I didn’t, by-the-way, so I’ll need to see Trevor at least once more. We got to talking and, well, he’s a lawyer so my LSAT scores came up and he offered me a job at his firm.”

“Michael–”

“He’s going to stop by the apartment with dinner at seven to ask your permission first before he actually offers me the job.” The harsh lines around Edie’s face finally lessened, though his expression was still suspicious. Mike gave him his best innocent smile, “come on, old man. I swear, nothing untoward going on. It’s just a job offer.”

“Nothing with a Dominant is ever ‘just,’ my dear,” Edie grumbled, though he squeezed Mike’s hands, “…was he cute?”

“Pops!” Mike blushed hotly as he leaned back, reaching out to pick the puppy up from where she’d begun to chew on one of the couch legs.

“Well? Was he hot?”

“Oh my god, Pop, please don’t try to use slang.” Mike groaned as he fell back, lifting the puppy high into the air above him. “You know Andy’s never gonna let us keep her, right?”

Andy was their dick of a landlord, the Human just _loved_ to crush people’s hopes and dreams on a wide swatch of subjects ranging from pet ownership to getting a toilet fixed to finally getting proper door locks installed on the front door.

“You leave that rat to me, now stop trying to change the subject.” A slippered foot nudged his thigh aggressively. “Spill.”

“Fine. Yes, okay?” Mike admitted with a groan, letting the puppy tumble to the side. He’d have to give her a name soon. He brought both hands up to cover his face, ignoring that they smelled heavily of dog. “He was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. He was…” Mike made a random motion with his hand, “just… so _unreasonably_ hot.”

Edie chuckled, his expression far more handsome with a pleased smile on it. “Unreasonably, eh? Well, I suppose we ought to clean the place up a bit if he’s _unreasonably_ hot.”

“Stop.” Mike gasped as he grabbed the pup by the back leg, sniggering as she immediately whirled around to chew on his hand. “You’ve already used up your allotment of scarring me for life.”

“Oh no, you’re not still going on about that postman are you?”

“Pop, I was _twelve._ And you were doing it on the table. I eat there!”

“A man has needs, Michael. Now go clean.”

* * *

The evening was almost bordering on muggy, but Mike still enjoyed it as he sat on the front steps. Gladys (the newly named Boxer pup) was happily exploring as far as her pink leash would let her, sniffing and mouthing anything and everything she could. It was almost seven and Mike had been banished outside by Edie, who he’d apparently been bugging the hell out of the last half-hour.

It wasn’t that he was nervous…oh who the hell was he kidding? Mike was anxious as hell. His apartment was nothing to look at, a tiny one-bedroom in a less-than-desirable neighborhood. It even looked like crap outside, the awning was falling apart and the mail boxes rusted and chipped, the glass door dirty and smudged. He bet Harvey Spencer lived in nothing even remotely like this. Harvey’s dishwasher probably cost more than his rent did many times over.

Still, the place cleaned up nice. Well, that was what Mike was hoping. The apartment was pristine, everything tidied and in its place, windows thrown open for the better part of the day to air out the pheromones that still hung heavy and potent from his Change. It wasn’t much, but it was home and Mike worked hard to keep them in it. He had nothing to be ashamed about.

So why did he feel so embarrassed?

Because Harvey was a Dominant. A freakishly attractive, confident, _rich_ Dominant who just happened to be in Mike’s age group. Mike knew that because one of the first things he’d done after cleaning was google the living _hell_ out of Harvey Specter. While Roux had long ago learned how to hide their long life spans, some things just couldn’t be hidden from the information age. Like high school photos.

Mike could have lived quite happily without knowing what a teenaged Harvey looked like in a Speedo. The image haunted him even now. A tall body packed with muscles; wash board abs, a well-defined ‘v,’ and thick, define forearms that looked more than capable of breaking a man in two. The feeling that Mike was slowly beginning to recognize as lust had swamped him when he’d first seen it, causing him to go red from his neck to his ears, and the young Roux had slammed the laptop shut.

His new emotions were so strange to Mike. He’d gone most of his life without ever really feeling a drop of arousal. While his classmates had been eager to masturbate or experience their firsts, Mike had just been at a loss. _Nothing_ appealed to him like that. Of course he knew that was natural for a juvenile Roux. Their kind didn’t have a sex drive before they reached physical maturity. Likewise he knew that the influx of arousal he was feeling now was a natural reaction to encountering a healthy, attractive member of the opposite sex.

It didn’t make any of it any less _mortifying,_ especially with Edie only a few steps away cackling at him.

Still, Mike supposed it –

“Mike!” The blond’s head snapped up, eyes widening in alarm at the sight of Trevor jogging towards him. “What the fuck, buddy? Have you been here the whole time? I’ve been blowing up your phone for hours. I thought you were fucking dead.”

“Go away Trevor.” Mike said icily as he stood, tugging at the leash to get Gladys closer. The puppy ignored him, which was natural considering that he’d had her all of a handful of hours, but still grated on his nerves.

A Submissive Roux’s pack was an essential part of their life. Not only did dogs – whose sensitive noses were one of the few animals who could recognize Roux and (more importantly) care enough to react to them – serve as an autonomous alarm system to warn of any Roux that may be barging into their territory, they also were a display of a Submissive’s skill. How well trained a pack was reflected directly on the Submissive that owned them. So Gladys’ training would be a fairly high priority for Mike.

“What – why? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve…hey!” The Human crouched, reaching out towards the curious puppy. “You got a dog, nice man. I know you’ve wanted one for ages.”

“Go home.” Mike snapped, sweeping Gladys up before Trevor could touch her. “I don’t want to even see you right now.”

“Mike–”

“It was a goddamn sting, Trev.” He snarled, cradling a confused Gladys against his chest, “do you have any idea what you almost did?”

“This looks bad, I know,” Trevor started in the same mollifying tone that Mike had heard _a thousand fucking times_ before, “but I swear I had no idea that it was a set up until after I sent you. I wanted to warn you, but they wouldn’t let me. This dudes are no joke, Mike. They had guns.”

“They’re not joke, so you sent me on their run?” Mike snapped, teeth flashing as he bit back a growl. “You _promised.”_

“I know, man. I’m so sorry.” Trevor reached out for him, big brown eyes wide and beseeching. “You can’t think that I’d ever put you in that situation on purpose. This is how this shit works – everyone is bad guys. But I swear, I didn’t know what I was sending you into. Mike, come on. Please, man. I’m sorry.”

Mike wavered, biting his lip.

But then Trevor did what he did best, he shot himself in the foot.

“For fuck’s sake, man. You can’t just throw away years of friendship over something like this.”

“Something like this?” Mike’s voice was quiet, “ _something like this?_ Is what happened somehow not a big deal to you, Trevor? This isn’t you getting my bike stolen or ‘accidently’ losing my Xbox, you dick. Do you know what would have happened if I had gotten arrested? Do you have any idea what they’d do to me if they found out?”

He took a steeling breath through his nose, holding it for a long moment before letting it go.

“Go the fuck away. I don’t want to see your face.”

He turned to leave, but Trevor’s caught him by the arm. “Okay. Okay, I’ll go. But I need the briefcase, Mike.”

“I don’t have it.”

Trevor made a sound similar to that of a dying cat. “What?”

“I threw it away.”

_“What?”_

“I threw it away.” Mike repeated calmly, balancing Gladys (who had gone completely still at the sound of Mike’s snarl) with one arm as he turned to stare calmly at the Human. “I wiped it down – inside and out, just like you taught me – and then I chucked it into the river.”

The hand on his arm tightened. “You…you…I don’t have that type of money, they’ll kill me. How could you do this to me?”

Trevor looked completely lost, pale and horrified as he stared at Mike. It made him feel rather smug, honestly. Trevor was nothing if not a survivor. Mike was confident this would do nothing more than cause him a few weeks of annoyance before he weaseled his way out of it.

“Isn’t that my line, _buddy?”_ The Roux asked coolly as he wrenched his arm free. “I’m sure you’ll find a way, Trev. You always do.”

Trevor’s face hardened into something ugly as he took a step forward, closing the distance between them. “You better hope that I do, because if I don’t I swear to fucking god Mike, I’ve learned a hell of lot hunting–”

“Mike?”

The blond startled, the tense stare broken as he traced his name back behind him. Harvey stood there, a warming bag resting over one shoulder and against his hip, looking devastatingly handsome in a white button up and blue jeans. The Dominant shut the door to the cab he’d climbed out of, eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. He crossed the space between them in a handful of strides, the smile on his face as sharp as a shark's as he offered his hand to Trevor.

“I don’t believe we’ve met. Harvey Spencer.”

The shift in power was so dynamic it was like a change in air pressure, the hostility between Trevor and himself bled away before Harvey’s presence. The expression on the Human’s face told Mike that he knew exactly what stood in front of him. Trevor’s eyes glanced down at the hand before snapping to Mike.

“So that’s how it is. You went and found yourself a Dominant.” By his side Harvey twitched minutely and Mike winced. “No wonder you’re throwing me to the wolves.” He sneered around a bitter laugh. “Jesus, you are such a fucking whore.”

“I’d watch your mouth.” Harvey advised pleasantly, the smile losing none of its angles, as the hand dropped. The Dominant was standing so close to Mike that he could feel his body heat. “Just some friendly advice.”

“Yeah, well why don’t you just stay the hell out of this?” Trevor snapped and it was impossible to miss the dangerous edge of his own stance. For all that he was Human, Trevor was still a killer and a vicious one at that. The smell of aggression – both Human and Roux – was everywhere, almost making Mike dizzy. “This is between me and Mike, so why don’t you fuck off?”

Harvey made a sound of consideration from the back of his throat. “Yeah, I think not.” A hand was suddenly resting against Mike’s lower back, the touch both intrusive and a soothing reassurance all at once. “I’m going to go ahead and take a guess that you’re the douchebag that set Mike up with the cops-”

“I didn’t set anyone up!”

“Well, truth be told I don’t really care.” Harvey said with a shrug. “You still put him in a pretty dangerous situation–”

“He volunteered, Mike knew exactly–”

Harvey’s hand shot out so fast that Mike jumped, clutching Gladys so tightly she whined. He grabbed Trevor’s jaw, silencing him mid-word. “Stop interrupting me.” His hand squeezed it hard enough to force Trevor’s jaw to the side, misaligning his lips. “Now, I’m going to let you go and you’re going to stand there – quietly – while your betters speak, got it?”

Trevor nodded and Harvey made a disgusted sound as he let go, wiping his hand on his jeans.

“I don’t give a shit about what Mike may or may not have ‘volunteered’ himself to do. He's not the Tony Montana wannabe, you are. _You_ sent Mike to the cops, so as far as I’m concerned that pretty much means you’re life is null and void. But seeing as you’re apparently Mike’s ‘oldest friend’ you get a pass. This time.” The hand on his back nudged him gently, pushing towards the apartment steps. “Make no mistake, if I find you sniffing around Mike again I’ll rip your throat out. Now, you’re making us late.”

Mike willed himself not to look back as Harvey lead them into the building, petting the baby-down of Gladys' fur as they came to a stop inside the lobby. The Dominant sighed, bringing his hand up to rub at his nose in irritation. “So…”

“Wait, not here.”

He lead the Dominant down a small set of stairs and into a miniscule laundry room, hardly long enough to fit four sets of washers and dryers and barely wide enough for the doors to open. Despite its size, it was a cement block with only one window for ventilation and one door; no chances of being over heard. Once Mike shut the door, Harvey started once more.

“So, you told that piece of work what we are.”

Mike grimaced, pressing a kiss against Gladys’ muzzle as she stood in his arm, seeking comfort against his neck. “He is my oldest friend, Harvey. And in my defense I was eleven and…drunk.”

The last part was said so quietly it was barely a breath, but Harvey heard it none-the-less. “Why was he so angry? Because of the bust?”

“I threw the weed into the Hudson.”

Harvey stared at him for a moment before erupting into laughter, leaning heavily against the grimy tiled wall. Mike almost wanted to pull him away, because nothing as pretty as Harvey Spencer deserved to be anywhere near such a dirty wall. “Of course. Logical next step. No wonder he was pissed.”

“Yeah.”

Harvey sobered. “Mike…you know that can’t stand, don’t you? _I_ can’t let it stand.” The Submissive flinched, cuddling Gladys closer. He did know – and he understood – but that didn’t mean he wanted it to come to pass, no matter how angry he was at Trevor right now. Harvey sighed. “Jesus, Mike. He nearly got you arrested – he put his hands on you.”

“It didn’t even hurt.”

“It would have if you were a Human,” came Harvey's immediate response, then, “and that’s not even the point. God, kid, what the hell am I going to do with you?”

Mike stiffened, eyes flashing at both the diminutive and the implication. “I’m not helpless. I can handle Trevor.”

“Can you?” Harvey asked sharply. “Because that’s not what it looked like to me. The fate of our entire species rests in the hands of a drug dealer – who’d probably sell you out in a heartbeat if it meant a deal – and yet somehow he’s still breathing.”

“He’s–”

“Your oldest friend. That’s my point, Mike.”

Mike tore his gaze from Harvey’s, staring forlornly at the lost bra that had been tacked to the wall. “Harvey…I…it’s…you don’t understand.”

“Then explain it to me, Mike, because it’s not making a lot of sense from where I’m standing.”

“I knew Trevor before my parents died. He and I were already pretty close and afterwards…Edie – my grandfather – he did his best, but he wasn’t ready to take me on, you know? At his age – he was just starting gearing up to live out his last few years in the peace and depravity of some condo in Florida.” He sighed at the surge of guilt. It wasn’t a new emotion by any means, but Mike still felt it as sharply as if it was. “It – everything, the funeral, the debt my parents’ had, the bribes – it drained him of every cent he had. I know it sounds stupid but Trevor was the only thing I had left from that time…from…from…”

“When you were happy.” Harvey finished and Mike glanced up, nodding slightly.

“Yeah, that.” Mike managed, swallowing harshly. “When I told him, I knew it was a mistake. But I was so desperate to keep _something._ And he was okay with it! Totally fine. When Edie got sick and I had to take on more jobs he even hunted for us.”

There was a sharp inhale as Harvey became aware of just how messed up Trevor really was.

“More than once we would have starved without him. I can’t just – I owe him, Harvey. I’m so deep in the red with Trev I don’t – I can’t be objective, I know, but…” He trailed off, hopeless.

“It’s okay that you can’t be objective, all that matters is that you see that. I can’t promise that I won’t kill him, but I’ll think about it. Maybe.”

Mike nodded, miserable. “Hell of a first impression I’m making, huh?” The fact that the Dominant – this handsome, beautiful Dominant, the very first Mike had ever met – was constantly being assaulted with Mike at his worst was humiliating to say the least.

“I wouldn’t say that.” Harvey’s voice was soft.

“Better to be a fuck up than forgettable, huh?”

“I don’t think I could forget you, Mike.”

The answer surprised him and Mike glanced up at it, startled to find Harvey suddenly very close. The Dominant’s brown eyes were intent as they stared down at him and it made something inside Mike squirm with pleasure. They were standing so close together that the tips of their shoes almost brushed – far closer than what needed to be, even in the small space – and Mike flushed hotly with the realization of it. He could smell Harvey so easily in the small space, and it made his knees weak just as easily as it had this afternoon.

“Yeah?”

The word came out far breathier than Mike had intended, and Harvey’s eyes darkened at the sound of it.

“Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked it! What did you think of Trevor and Harvey? I'm having a blast writing Marcus and Lucas - who I did not notice names were so similar till just now, but I like it so it'll probably end up staying.
> 
> For fun here's a picture of Gladys:


	4. Of Age: Formal Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edie let out a laugh that sounded almost like a cackle, a wicked light in his eye. “Oh, you are a confident one, aren’t you?”
> 
> He gave him his smoothest smile. “I’ve been told that my ego is my best feature.”
> 
> “I would have said your eyes.”
> 
> “Pops.” Mike choked out, sounding both mortified and greatly amused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Un-betaed.

It was only five minutes after seven when they made their way up to the apartment, but Harvey felt the extra time acutely. Mike seemed nervous as he led the way, but if that was over what had just happened with his ‘friend’ or Harvey meeting his grandfather, the Dominant didn’t know. Honestly, nothing could be as strenuous as that last interaction had been.

To think a sleaze like this Trevor knew about them…it was mind boggling. While the blame did lay with Mike, Harvey could hardly fault the young Submissive. Eleven was a tender age for any race, especially so after a loss so great. But just because he understood didn’t mean Harvey was happy about it. His first instinct was to strike Trevor down immediately, silence the threat as soon as possible. But Mike was so clearly attached to him and he didn’t want to do anything that may jeopardize his suit.

As Mike opened a nondescript brown door bearing a tarnished gold knocker and a loosely pinned ‘3A,’ he pushed the thoughts away. He could handle Trevor later; what was happening now deserved his full attention. The apartment was small and cramped, with a tiny kitchenette to the left and a combined dining/living room. A short nub of a hallway lead to an equally small bathroom and a closed door that lead to what he assumed was the apartment’s only bedroom.

It was hardly the most impressive place Harvey had ever seen, but it was clean and well organized, with mirrors, bright pastels, and full length curtains making it seem larger than it was. An elderly Roux was resting in a large arm chair recliner next to the window, looking neat and well put together despite his frailty. To those who didn’t know better, the Submissive looked perhaps in his late fifties or sixties, but Harvey could see the advanced age Mike’s grandfather wore.

He was very old indeed.

Gladys let out a high-pitched squeak of excitement as she struggled free of Mike’s grasp, landing hard on the floor and skidding across the wooden floor as she made her way to the Roux. He picked her up with a smile, the puppy instantly settling in his lap. Mike grinned brilliantly, the affection and pleasure at the sight easy to see.

“Pop, this is Harvey Specter. Harvey, this is my grandfather, Edward Ross.”

“Call me ‘Edie,’ Mr. Specter” Edie insisted, holding his hand out for Harvey to take. Harvey crossed the room, keeping his eyes on the Submissive’s face, not letting them drift to his rail thin legs.

“Then I insist you call me ‘Harvey.’” He said as he took the hand, pressing a light kiss to its knuckles.

Edie let out a laugh that sounded almost like a cackle, a wicked light in his eye. “Oh, you are a confident one, aren’t you?”

He gave him his smoothest smile. “I’ve been told that my ego is my best feature.”

“I would have said your eyes.”

 _“Pops.”_ Mike choked out, sounding both mortified and greatly amused.

“Oh hush,” Edie said with a chuckle, “I’m sure I’m not telling him anything he doesn’t already know. Mike, dear, why don’t you get us some of that lemonade I made earlier – bring out something to snack on as well.”

“I brought some appetizers as well,” he said, offering the lunch box. “It’s nothing big, just some crackers with meats and cheeses.”

“That will do splendidly.” Edie assured him and Mike gave him a crooked grin as he took the offered warmer. “Now, Harvey, sit. Tell me about yourself.”

Harvey obeyed, resisting the urge to watch Mike work in the kitchen. He started with his parents, careful to spin their relationship into something it hadn’t been without telling too many lies. His sire, Gordon Specter, had been a successful blue’s musician, just popular enough to have a few albums but always careful not to grow so big that too many would notice when he finally decided to fade away from public life and re-start his life.

His sire had been a loving, caring man (if a touch distant) and while Gordon wasn’t particularly close to either of his sons, their relationship was still massively healthier than either he or Marcus’ one with their carrier; Leland. To be fair, Marcus still had a fair amount of contact with him – much more than Harvey did – but Marcus had also been younger, more sensitive, and the whole family had done their best to keep the worst of their drama from him.

It wasn’t that his parents didn’t love each other, because they did. Very much, in fact. They were a mated pair in ever since of the word; their bodies called to each other and Harvey knew that Leland shared none of his heats with anyone but his sire – that was only when he chose to not to weather them alone. And the few collected times that there had ever been an outside threat his parents had drawn together – regardless of the state of their personal relationship – and formed a formable team to destroy it.

It was just – Harvey had never met two people more opposite in his life. Gordon was a steady, no-nonsense type of Roux despite his artistic talent, while his carrier had always been out going and wild, vivacious and filled with an unquenchable need for excitement and life. Their personalities just weren’t suited for each other; Harvey couldn’t remember a time when the pair weren’t fighting or not speaking to each other.

As soon as Marcus had reached thirty, both Roux had moved away from each other. Oh, they’d stopped living together long before that – but before his Change, both Gordon and Leland had resided in New York together. His sire lived in Boston now and his carrier was living in Paris (maybe, Harvey wasn’t quite sure) at the moment.

To be honest, everyone was happier that way.

He spent the majority of his time talking about Marcus and the cubs, as well as Lucas, and Harvey wouldn’t even try to deny bragging about himself and his family; playing up Marcus’ success, his own status at the firm, his paycheck, his spacious condo. It was for the same reason he dedicated a majority of the conversation to gushing about what a fabulous parent Marcus was.

Harvey wanted Edie to see what he could offer Mike.

“Yes, my Michael mentioned you were a lawyer.” Edie said as he sipped his lemonade, smiling at the sight of Mike making steady head way through the crackers, each piece of bread heavily loaded with meats and cheeses. “He also told me you want to offer him a job.”

“As a paralegal, yes.” Harvey answered, “he’s bright; I could gather that just from talking to him. And when he told me about his memory and LSAT scores – I thought he’d be a real asset for my firm. We’re always in need of skilled paralegals. Without them the firm couldn’t get much done.”

Edie was watching him unblinkingly, eyes shrewd. “And that’s all you want to offer him? Just this job?”

Mike made a choked sound, hastily drinking lemonade as he blushed heavily, eyes darting over to watch Harvey from the lip of his drink.

“No, it isn’t.” The Dominant leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he gave Edie his most serious look, the one he used to convince clients that his way was the correct way – the only way. “I’d like permission to court him.”

Edie hummed, nodding as if that was what he’d expected to hear along. Which, honestly, it probably was. Only Mike seemed surprised, letting out a startled _‘what?’_ before pinning those pretty blues on Harvey. “You do?”

Harvey grinned, feeling inexplicably fond at the Submissive’s surprise. Had he really not thought Harvey interested him? How could he _not_ be? Mike was stunning; almost everything Harvey liked, checking off every high standard on his rather extensive list. He was beautiful, almost unworldly so, and his good-looks served as a well done compliment to the sharp wit and fierce intelligence their conversations had only just hinted at.

And his smell – Harvey had never wished to bottle a scent so badly in his life.

Or for it to be edible.

The Dominant squashed that thought before it could fully materialize. The last thing he needed was to be imagining all the different ways he could find a way to taste that scent with Edward Ross sitting next to him.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Oh.” Mike sounded taken aback, but the pleased smile and darkening blush spoke of his approval of the idea. “Even after…”

“Even after.” Harvey assured, eyes locked on the Submissive’s face, fighting the hungry look he could feel tugging at his features. How someone could be so coyly sexual so naturally and so without awareness of it, Harvey had no idea. He forced his attention back on Edie. “I have a courting display planned–” which was a bit of a white lie, but he’d have one soon and he already knew it would be enough to knock both Submissive’s socks off, “– naturally, but after that…”

Edie cross his hands in his lap, resting them atop the napping Gladys’ small frame, face serious. “I can understand why you would want to – my Michael is cut above the rest.”

“Aw, thanks Pops. You’re not bad yourself.”

“Thank you,” Edie said, dry but amused, “but you can understand my reservations of you two working together unchaperoned.”

“Of course, I understand completely.” Harvey quickly assured. “I can promise that while Mike may work with me, he won’t be directly under me. The firm employees nearly three hundred people and there is almost always someone at the office. What’s more, my executive assistant rarely leaves before I do and my office is made with glass walls. On top of that, there are hundreds of cameras that security monitors twenty-four-seven. I would never take advantage of Mike, but if anything untoward was to happen, it would be stopped almost immediately. The firm has a very strict fraternization policy and an even stricter sexual harassment one.”

“And I’m to just take your word on this, entrust my most precious possession to you – a Dominant I’ve never met before?”

“Pop,” Mike interrupted softly, hands clasped tightly around his lemonade cup. “I want this. The chance to work at an actual firm – never mind that it’s kind of what I’ve always wanted to do, but they’re willing to send me back to school to finish my degree. And the pay – I could quit all my jobs! I don’t even remember what it’s like to only have one job. With all the free time I could hunt freely – we would never have to rely on Trevor again–”

Harvey’s lip twitched in distaste. On that matter, Harvey would personally make sure. Regardless of what happened between he and Mike, Harvey would never allow the Ross’ to fall so low as to depend on a Human for survival again. The expression was slight – practically nonexistent – but Edie caught it, his expression growing a shade warmer at the sight of it.

It seemed Trevor had few fans outside of Mike.

“ – and I’d be able to really take care of you. Get us a better apartment in a nicer part of town – everything you deserve, Pop. You’ve taken such good care of me, I…I just want to be able to do the same for you.”

 _Christ,_ Harvey wanted him.

Wanted that kind, hopeful smile – that loving dedication to be directed at him. He wanted Mike to look at him with the same devotion, with the same tender affection that he gave to his grandfather. What would it be like to come home from work every day to that? To see it in his home, in his bed…Harvey swallowed harshly, glancing away as he took a cleansing drink of lemonade.

“Well, Mikey…if it means so much to you.” Edie said slowly, still sounding uncomfortable with the idea. “But anytime you’re out of the office – for courting or otherwise – I want to be present. And if I can’t be for work purposes” (the fact that work reasons would be the only ones Edie allowed such a thing to happen went unsaid, “I want a full explanation of why and if I don’t find it acceptable, it doesn’t happen.”

“Of course.” Harvey agreed quickly. “And once my brother and his mate are back in town, I know Lucas would be more than willing to serve as a second chaperon.”

“I’d have to meet him.”

“Naturally; they’re back in New York on Monday, he could come as soon as you were ready.” Harvey was already sending the text message, missing the amused smile Edie shot him at his eagerness. “Lucas comes from a fine family; he’s a respectable Roux and carrier in every sense of the role.”

“I suppose it’s all settled then,” Edie said, soundly strangely pleased and amused all at once, “now that business is out of the way, shall we eat?”

* * *

Mike could hardly believe it. Not only was he about to start a new job that made the salaries of all three he’d been working before laughable, but he was about to be courted. _Courted,_ by Harvey Specter, just hours after he’d gone through his Change. He hadn’t even had to make a display announcing his season; a Dominant had just fallen, right into his lap.

Perhaps he had something to thank Trevor for after all.

The dinner had gone pretty well, all things considering. Edie did his level best to keep the embarrassing stories of Mike’s childhood (and there were _several)_ to a minimum, but there were still enough for him to blush his way through dinner. Harvey staid for drinks afterwards and Mike could seem that the Dominant’s charm was starting to win Edie over. Mike was glad. As much as he’d been caught off guard by Harvey’s intent to court him, Mike could hardly say that he wasn’t pleased with the idea.

When the hour was starting to grow late and their goodbyes were said, Mike trailed behind Harvey, giving the Dominant a small, shy smile as he stepped out into the hallway. “So, uh, when do you want me to start?”

“When can you?”

“Well,” Mike said slowly, drawling the word out. He should give his jobs two weeks notice, but Mike really wasn’t that invested in any other them enough to actually care if he left any of them in a rough spot by leaving abruptly, “whenever, really.”

“How about Wednesday?”

That was two days away and Mike nodded his agreement even when he felt his stomach bottom out in nerves. Sure, he knew a lot about law – but to be working so suddenly, with real lawyers and paralegals who had degrees and had been doing this for years…it was a bit intimidating. A card was suddenly being passed over to him. Mike glanced at it in confusion.

“What…?”

“It’s my tailor. Go there and get yourself a couple of sets; tell them to put it on my account.” Harvey said casually, as if he didn’t just offer to drop hundreds of dollars on him.

“Harvey, I can’t just – you can’t just pay for this,” Mike objected, trying to push the card back, “that wouldn’t be right.”

But Harvey just shook his head, taking the card and tucking it into the breast pocket of Mike’s t-shirt, the weight of his fingertips strangely noticeable for how light the touch was. “Yes, I can. I’m not going to just throw you to the wolves on your first day, Mike.”

“And buying me suits is setting me up for success?”

The answer was immediate. “Yes. Appearance is everything, especially in the firm. You can pay me back eventually if you want, but for now just go and let Rene take care of you.”

Mike reluctantly accepted, leaning against the door as he ran his fingers over the profile of the card, feeling the nerves from before multiple. Could he really do this? Could he really go buy suits and go to work in a high-rise downtown – could he really be an adult?

“Hey.” The Submissive glanced up to find Harvey watching him, eyes fond and smile knowing. “You’re going to be fine, Mike. I’ll see you on Wednesday.”

“Goodnight, Harvey.”

“Goodnight.”

They stood together for a moment more, each seemingly reluctant to leave before Edie’s call had Mike shutting the door and dead bolting it.

* * *

Tuesday was a real shit day for Harvey. His new associate (he'd gone with Chip, god help him, but the food jokes were just too good to pass up) was so painfully out of his depth it was pathetic. He’d never been so happy to be back in his condo. He let his suitcase lay where he dropped it, kicking his shoes off uncaringly as he made his way to his bedroom. He took only the barest care to hang the suit and toss his button up and under shirt into the dirty clothes hamper before he crashed face first in the bed.

A part of him wanted to take a shower, but the larger part of the Dominant was content to stay just like this. After some mental dialogue he hauled himself up and had a quick shower, heating up some left overs and stretching out on his couch. He turned on Spike TV as he ate, Marcus’ chili as good as it had been weeks ago when it had been fresh.

Mike’s first day would be tomorrow. As Harvey had promised, the Submissive had gotten the job on Harvey’s word alone. Jessica had been weary – almost suspicious – but she knew better than to really question anyone he vouched for, if only because the Dominant did it so rarely. He knew that his name and reputation was now resting on how well Mike did at the firm, but Harvey had little fears in that department. With how smart Mike was? He was going to eat them alive, blow the other paralegals right out the water with his skills. He knew the other Roux was nervous though and after a few minutes gave in, picking his phone up and shooting a quick reassuring text to the Submissive. He would have thought Mike to be asleep, but he was surprised when he received a response seconds later.

 

Though he could appreciate Mike’s self-sufficientness, he would be buying Mike many more things if Harvey had his way. The Submissive had been living in squalor for too long; Harvey wanted to spoil him with gifts, wanted to take him to the most expensive restaurants, take him driving in the newest car the club had that month, show him everything that he could come to expect if he became Harvey Specter’s mate. He wanted Mike comfortable and happy, as content with his life as Harvey could make him. Mike - and Edie - deserved that. 

Harvey thought of that sweet smile of Mike's, of the Submissive stretched out on his couch with his pup, all comfortable in his pajamas, and felt something inside him that he hadn't felt in a long time ache. He wanted a family. Of course he had one; in his parents, in Marcus and his nephews, but despite their close relation neither his parents nor Marcus and his family were  _Harvey's._ Only years of long, hard work with a therapist and frequent conversations and scenting sessions had kept Harvey and his brother on good turns with each other. Roux instincts were at their base violent things, urges and needs that very rarely meant that siblings of the same sex could stay together for very long. But both the Specter boys had been determined. After the train wreck of their parents' matehood, all they'd had for years had been each other and neither had been willing to loose that.

But there was no mistaking that Marcus' cubs were  _Marcus',_ and while Harvey could spoil and love them at will, they weren't his. 

In his hand, his cell phone dinged.

Harvey grinned at the easy flirting, leaning back against the couch back. He reached down, running his palm over his half-hard cock. It still caught him off guard, how even the slight thought or reminder of Mike's nature - of his scent (still so clean and sharp from his Change) - and what Harvey may one day have with him threw him head first into lust. It seemed to the Dominant that they already seemed to have a camaraderie between them, an open channel of dialogue. That they could text like this after only a day of knowing each other...well, it boded well, didn't it? They would be good together, a decent compliment to each other's personalities, and Harvey palmed himself as he imagined Mike heavy with his cub, at the idea of how they would make their child.

A part of him was aware that he should be off put by this thinking. Just a few hours ago, Harvey had been content, quite happy in his bachelor-hood, playing the doting Uncle. And yet - just one encounter with a Submissive - with Mike Ross - and Harvey's entire world had been thrown off-kilter. Still, he could hardly bring himself to feel alarmed or regret meeting Mike. Marcus had said that it would be like this, he'd warned Harvey, way back when he'd first met Lucas and the older Specter Dominant had teased and taunted him relentlessly for Marcus' single-mindedness when it came to his courting.

 _"You just don't understand,"_ Marcus had ground out, sounding both annoyed and lost at the same time,  _"Lucas, he's all I can think about. It's - he's - it's...you'll understand when you find yourself a Submissive, okay?"_

 _"Hey, I get it,"_ Harvey had corrected, annoyed at the idea that his younger brother may know anything better than him,  _"biology. I know how hard to resist that. You're just doing what you're made to do; breed a Submissive."_

Marcus had given him a long look before shaking his head.  _"It is, but it's more than just that. I can't explain it, it's like...it's like your hind and fore brain just kind of line up; yes, you want to breed, but it's...it's just more."_

Harvey was half a mind to call his brother up an apology, but he was too lazy to try and figure out the time difference in the Caribbean right now. Or tie up the line.

Harvey hesitated, fingers poised above the touchscreen. After a moment he began to type. _Because you're everything I've ever wanted?_ But he quickly deleted it, starting over.  _Besides the fact that you're gorgeous?_ Stupid, he deleted it immediately.  _Not only are you easy on the eyes, your mind, Mike. I've never run into anything like it. I enjoy -_ he stopped, rolling his eyes as he deleted it once again. Before he could give it a fourth try, another text message arrived. 

Harvey laughed, letting himself keel over and throwing his feet over the arm of his over-priced but stupidly comfortable leather sofa. It was starting to get late and both of them had an early morning, but as the cell phone in his hand binged again Harvey found he didn't really care. He lowered the volume on the TV (the host really did shout too much) and began to type a response, lips twisted in a contented grin.

Yeah.

This was going well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked!


End file.
